Andrew Bayles’s early aerial photograph speaks for itself. Every available parking space had been taken up well before football’s senior grand final.

That includes the boundary of the Goff Letts Oval, as well as the adjacent hockey field, netball courts and Jeffcott Cricket Oval, and both sides of the highway outside the ground.

On Saturday, Donald delivered a “double whammy” with a record-breaking grand final day alongside the Borung Highway, as well as a widely broadcast race meeting on the Donald racecourse, little more than a stone’s throw away from the football, netball and hockey.

Contributing substantially to the more than $40,000 showgrounds “gate” were the residents of Sea Lake-Nandaly and Birchip-Watchem, whose team contested the senior football grand finals, as well as those whose other football. netball and hockey sides were fighting for premierships.

Nearby, at the racecourse, horses, owners, trainers and spectators came from all directions to participate in yet another successful meeting at the Donald and District Racing Club’s headquarters.

Of course, as is the case with all country events such as these, the greatest of all credit is due to those local officials and other workers who give of their time and skills to ensure success.

Volunteers, take a bow!